BiosecurityBiodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool

Outbreaks of new and reemerging infectious diseases, coupled with an increasing biological threat from non-state actors, highlight the continued need for the U.S. to prioritize biodefense efforts. The Blue Ribbon Panel on Biodefense has noted that the U.S. remains underprepared for a catastrophic biological attack or global pandemic, and has highlighted the need for increased government coordination in biodefense.

Outbreaks of new and reemerging infectious diseases, coupled with an increasing biological threat from non-state actors, highlight the continued need for the U.S. to prioritize biodefense efforts. The Blue Ribbon Panel on Biodefense has noted that the U.S. remains underprepared for a catastrophic biological attack or global pandemic, and has highlighted the need for increased government coordination in biodefense. Following the events of 2001, multiple policy directives and public laws were enacted, assigning enduring biodefense responsibilities to at least sixteen different entities within the federal government. As a result, it is difficult to comprehend the full continuum of federal responsibilities.

PNNLsays that in 2017, it chartered an internally funded working group, the Policy Wranglers, to capture relevant biodefense policy directives, public laws, and corresponding sections of the U.S. Code, in a format conducive to visualization. The resulting tool can be utilized to better understand the current state of the U.S. biodefense enterprise.

This version of the Biodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool, updated on November 14, 2017, captures the enduring biodefense responsibilities from the following sources:

Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 9: Defense of United States Agriculture and Food

HSPD-10: Biodefense for the 21st Century

HSPD-18: Medical Countermeasures Against Weapons of Mass Destruction

Public Law (PL) 101-298: Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989

PNNL notes that where responsibilities have been incorporated into the U.S. Code, the USC reference has been included, as well as the originating public law. The primary documents used are available in the Document Library. Given the number of laws and directives relating to biodefense, and the complexity of the U.S. Code, the Biodefense Policy Landscape Analysis Tool is not intended to be a comprehensive reference of all biodefense and public health related responsibilities assigned to the federal departments and agencies, nor does it indicate which responsibilities are supported by corresponding appropriations. Rather, it is intended to educate the community on the current state of the biodefense enterprise.